Vegetable-cutter.



D. G. THOMPSON.

VEGETABLE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED LSEPT. 28, 1508.

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VEGETABLE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1908.

1 058 1 16 Patented Apr. 8; 1913.

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VEGETABLE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2a, 1908. 1,058, 1 1 6 J wW may: L E w -ing' myinvention, Figure 1- is a vertical deta l view illustrating thevibratory de UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIUE.

DEWEY C. THOMPSON, OF BERLIN, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE PHINNEY ENGI-NEEBING 00., OF CHILLICOTHE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VEGETABLE-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DEWEY C. THoMPsoN, citizen of the United States,residing at Berlin, in the county, of Green Lake and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vegetable-Cutters;and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact'description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art'to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My inventionrelates to a novel device for severing the ends from .strinbeans and similar vegetables, the object icing to accomplish the resultdesired in an economical and rapid manner, and consists in the featuresof construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustratlon 'tudinal section on the'line1-1 of Fig. 2 o a machine made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2is a vertical transverse sectionon the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is afragmentary horizontal transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig.4 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5is a fragmentary vice for the hopper grating. Fig. '6 is a fragmentarydetail vertical section of the operating cylinder taken opposite tothatshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail section on the line 7+7of Fi 6.

In the preparation of str' beans or preserving, it 1s desirable thatabout threeei hths of an inch be removed from each-end o the pod, and todo this by hand has pfoven anexpensive and slow operation.

any attempts have been "made to produce a device by means of which thisoperation could be accomplished practically automatically, but nopractical machine for this purposehas yet been placed upon the market.

To accomplish thedesired result I have invented the machine hereindescribed and which attains the object perfectly.

The main feature of my invention resides in a horizontal rotatingcylinder provided with radial pockets adapted to receive the ods afterone end of same has been severed by a knife attached to the outersurface of the cylinder, then as the cylinder continues to rotate, thepods, in dropping out of the cylinder, have them opposite ends severedby means of a stationary knife held adjacent.

to the periphery of the cylinder. The knives :and pockets are soarranged that the severed .at the delivery end of said carrier. Saidhopper is provided in its lower portion with a grating 4, the openings 5in which are longer than the are wide, and are arranged longitudinallyin relation to the movement of said carrier belt l. The. lower edge ofthe transverse artit-ions 6 of said grating 4 are raised su cientlyabove said carrier to allow one layer only of pods to pass freelybeneath the same, while the lower edgeof the longitudinal partitions '7just clear the upper surface of said carrier. The dimension of saidopenin s 5 transversely-of said carrier is less than 516 length of, theshortest pod which is to beoperated upon, said di-- mension having beendecided 'upon as bei" about two inches, while the length of said ocketsis about eightinohes; this grating t rough which thepodshave to pass toreach the surface of said'carrier thus. prevents said pods from assumingany position but one in which they lie lengthwise on said carrier andsaid carrier can only de liver one layer deep of said ods. It is de-.

sirable to agitate said grating slightly toprevent the same ffrombecoming clo ed. o accomplish this the forward end 0 said grating ismounted on avertical pivot 8' while the rear end is mounted on a lateralhorizontal bar 9 which is mounted in openings in the frame 10 of saidmachine. A connecting rod 11 connects the middle por- .tion of said bar9 with a crank-pin 12 on the rear end of a horizontally disposed shaft13 which is provided at its forward end with a bevel inion 14 meshingwith a bevel gear 15, whic in turn is mounted upon one end- Said carrieris mounted on horizontal roll ers 18, one or both of which may be drivenby suitable connection to the power shaft 16, and it travels in thedirection indicated by the arrow.

The openings 5 in said grating practically form obstructed troughsextending longitudinally in relation to said carrier belt, and the podspassing along said troughs are fed into the upper ends of said chutes 3which extend downwardly nearly vertical a short distance, and thencevertically, disposed directly over and feeding into the pockets 20 intheoperating cylinder 21. Valves or cutoffs 22 and 23 are arranged tooperate in the vertical portion of said chutes 3, whereby the pods maybe retarded in their progress down the same so that the will bepermitted to drop into said cylin er at the proper'moment. Said cut-offs22 and 23 are mounted in guides 24 secured to the rear wall of saidchutes and are adapted to extend through openings 25 in said rear wallsand obstruct said chutes as indicated at 26 Fig. 1. Said cutofls areconnected by means of links 27 to crank arms 28 rigidl mounted on ahorizontal shaft '29 and which extends diametrically opposite to eachother, said shaft 29 beigig located about midway betweensaid cut- 0 s 22and 23 and mounted in hearings in said frame 10 of said machine. Said.shaft is given an oscillatory movement by means to describedlater, b off22 is withdrawn fi -om the chutes, the cutoil 23 will enter same, andvice versa. Said operating cylinder 21 is rigidly mounted on ahorizontal shaft 30, mounted in bearings in said machine frame and isprovided with a plurality (in this instance five) of rows of saidpockets 20, the rows 'of pockets being adapted to be broughtsuccesslvely beneath the ends of the chutes 3 and with which'theyexactly coincide. Said pocket-s 20 extend from the outer surface of saidcylinder 21 toward the axis of same and are adapted to receive the podsafter thelower or first end of same has been removed. Between saidlongitudinal rows of pockets 20 the surface of said cylinder is providedwith a longitudinally disposed cutting edge 32 a short distance inadvance of each of said longitudinal rows of edges or rnives 32 and thenextlongitudinal row of pockets in front of same the surface of saidcylinder is depressed slightly and which, when the cutockets, andbetweensaid cutting rear of same the surface 33 of the cylinder is flush withsaid cutting edges and mouths of said pockets. Beneath the surfacepoitions 33 of said cylinder 21 there are longitudinal pockets 34 formedin said cylinder which are adapted to receive the severed ends of saidpods, and extend between the heads 35 and 36 of same. To remove thesevered ends from said pockets 34 a blast of air is introduced throughan opening 37 in said head 35 from the air blast pipe 38, and said podends are blown out of said ockets 34 through the openings 39 provide inthe head 36. The depressed portion of said cylinder surface extendsslightly beneath the knife edges 32 to revent the pods, should they belying at a ight angle, from passing lengthwise through the openingbetween said knife edge and said depressed portion into the pockets 34and becoip dng thereby mixed with the refuse. The heads 35 and 36 ofsaid cylinder are each provided with a row of longitudinally projectingpins 40 equal in number to the number of rows of pockets, and arranged.to successively engage arms 41 rigidly mounted upon and depending fromsaid shaft 29 which are adapted to operate said cut-offs 22 and 23. Stos 42 are secured to the inner face of said 'rame 10 adapted to limit themovement of said arms 41 in one direction, and springs 43 are providedsecured at one end to the upward ext-ending arms 28 and at the other toa rod 44 rigidly mounted in said frame 10 and adapted to return saidarms 41 and cut-offs 22 and 23 to the position shown inFig. 1 as soon asthe lower end of said arms 41 are free from said pins 40; the withdrawmof the cut-0E 23 and the coincident entering of the cut-off 22 may becomparatively slow, the opposite movement will be comparatively rapid,thus preventing the pods which may have lodged upon the cut-off 22 whileit has been closed from falling beyond the cut-off 23 before the same isclosed and thus become jammed between said cut-ofi and the walls of saidchutes 3. To the rear of said chutes 3 a stationary casing 45 surroundssaid cylinder 31 and ex tends close to same around to about onethird ofthe distance from the bottom of By thismeans, while same at 46 Fig. 1,where it is depressed outwardly, and from there it is formedconcentrically and slightly past the bottom line of der is adapted topass close to the inner surface of the knife 50 carrying said cuttingedge 48. a

To give the cylinder and the cut-ofls the proper relative movements, thefamiliar pin and slot or any other suitable gearin may be employed. Theplate 51 provide with the five radial slots 52 and the five circulardepressions 53 in its peripher isprovided, rigidly mounted on one end 0said shaft upon which said cylinder 21 is mounted and is adapted to'beengaged by the pin 54 by means of which it is revolved through onefifthof a revolution at a time, and also alterna-tel b the circular detent 55which holds sai plate 51 and consequently said cylinder 21 stationaryduring approximately two-thirds of each revolution of said pin 54. Saidgearing is so arranged that the cylinder 21 is held stationary in theosition illustrated in the drawings. Sai pin 54 and detent 55 arerigidly mounted together, and are mounted on the horizontal shaft 56which receives power from said shaft 16 through the gears 57 and 58mounted respectively on said shafts 16 and 56. Said carrier 1 isoperated from said shaft 56 through the chain 59 and-sprockets 60 and 61which are shown in full in Fig. 2

and in dotted lines in Fig. 1 simplyto indicate their relativepositions, and the speed of said carrier canbe changed in relation tothe rotation of said 0 linder by changing the relative sizes of saidsprockets.

In operation, a quantity of the pods having been laced in the hopper,the agitating gratin disturbs the pods and they fall throng the gratinglengthwise upon the carrier, which carries them forward in a sin lelayer, and deposits them in the chutes 3, down which they slide and restin a vertical position on said cut-oft 23, the cylinder being in theposition shown in the drawings.

Said pin 54 in the position illustrated is about to engage the plate 51in oneof the slots 52, and as it thus turnssaid cylinder 21 saidcut-offs 22 and 23 are moved to their opposite position, that is, 23 iswithdrawn and 22 is inserted and the pods which have accumulated on saidcut-off 23-are permitted to descend, and the cylinder 21 having turnedthrough a small angle, the lower ends of the pods rest upon thedepressed portion of the cylinder surface and in the path of.

said arms 41 and said springs 43 have.

ql liickly returned thecut-ofi's 22 and 23 to t e osition illustrated.Now, considering the ower side of the cylinder, the pockets 20, to theleft in Fig. 1, have each their quota of pods, the ends of which,nearest the axis of the cylinder, have been cut off. As the pockets aresuccessively carried around toward the bottom the pods slide to theouter end of said pockets and their outer ends rest on the depressedportion of said casing 45 as shown at 46, and as the cylinder moves fromthe position shown to its next position, what are now the lower orhaving a cutter-which moves with the carrier and between which and thefeed device one end of the pod is adapted to be cut off, and astationary cutter which is arranged adjacent to said carrier-and betweenwhich and said cutter the opposite end of the pod is adapted to be cutoff.

2. In a machine of the kind specified, the combination of a rotatablecarrier having a cutter movable with the carrier, a feed chute betweenwhich and said movable cutter one end of ,the pods is adapted to be cutofi, and a stationary cutter between which and said carrier the otherend of said pods is adapted to be cut oil".

3. In a machine of the land specified, the combination of a carrierrotatable about a horizontal axis and havin a cutter movable with thecarrier, a feed 0 ute which is arranged above the carrier and betweenwhich and said movable cutter one end of the pods is adapted to-be cutoff, and astationary cutter which is arranged below the carrier andbetween which andthe carrier the oppgsiteend ofthe pods is adapted to becut 0 4; In a machine of the kind specified, the combination with acylindrical carrier rotatable about a horizontal axis and having aplurality of pockets which are open at their outer ends and closed attheir inner ends, cutters which are arranged in front of each ofsaidpockets, a-feed chute between which and said cutters one end of eachpod is adapted to.be cut ofi and which directs the pod into the nextfollowing pocket, and a stationary cutter between which and each ofsaid1pockets the opposite ends of pods are adapted to be cut oil"andwhich causes the last mentioned pod ends and the pods to bedischarged at different places from the machine.

5. In a machine of the kind specified, the combination of a feed chute,a rotatable the chute one end of each pod is adapted to be cut ed, astationary cutter between which and the carrier the other end of each isadapted to be cut off, means for controlling the passage of pods throu hsaid chute comprising two valves whi'c are at different places in saidchute, means for opening and closin said valves alternately, a feed beltwhere y the pods are delivered into said chute, and means for aliningthe pods lengthwise on said belt.

6.- In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a traveling cutter provided with shallow pockets re- CBIVLlIlgthe ends of the pods, and a cutter at the rear end of each pocket andco-acting with one wall of the feed chute to shear the ends of the pods,and deeper pockets underneath said cutters connected with and formingenlarged extensions of said shallow pockets adapted to receive thesevered ends of the pods.

7. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a traveling cutter provided with shallow pockets receiving theends of the pods, and a cutter at the rear end of each pocketand meetingwith one wall of the feed chute to shear the ends of the pods, anddeeper pockets underneath said cutters connected with and formingenlarged extensions of said shallow pockets adapted to receive thesevered ends of the pods, there being openings in the end walls of saidpockets through which the said ends of the pods are ejected.

8. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a traveling member equip ed with alternate shal-' low and deeppoc ets respectively successively passing the delivery end ofsaid-chute,

a cutter at the rear end portion of each shallow pocket and co-actingwith a wall of said chute to sever the end portion of the pods, saiddeep pockets receiving the body portions of the pods and transportingthe same, and means co-acting' with one wall of each of said deeppockets to sever the other end portions of said pods.

9. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with vthe feedchute, of a traveling member eqlliiipped with alternate shallow and deeppoc ets respectively successively passing the deliver end of said chute,a 'cutter at the rear en portion of each shallow pocket and co-actingwith a wall of said chute to sever the end ortion of the pods, therebeing recesses un erneath said cutters adapted to receive the severedends of the pods, saiddeep pockets receiving the body portions of thepods and: transporting the same, and means co-acting with one wall ofeach of said deep pockets to sever the other end portions of said pods.

10. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a travelweenie ing member equip ed with alternate shallow anddeep poc ets respectively successively passing the delivery end of saidchute, a cutter atthe rear end portion of each shallow pocket'andco-acting with a wall offsaid-chute to sever the -end portion of thepods, there being recesses underneath said cutters adapted to receivethe severed ends of the pods, there bein openings in the-end walls ofsaid recesses or ejection of the contents thereof, said deep pocketsreceiving theibody portions of the pods and transporting the same, andmeans co-acting with one wall of each of said deep pockets to sever theother end portions of said ods.

11. In a machine of the kind specifie the combination with the feedchute of a rotating member provided with shallow pockets receiving theends of the-pods, and a cutter at one end of each pocket and meetingwith one wall of the feed chute to shear the ends of the ode.

12. amachine of the kind specified the combination with the feed chuteof a rotating member provided with shallow pockets receiving the ends ofthe pods, and a cutter at one end of each pocket and'eo-acting with onewall of the feed chute to shear the ends of the pods, and ocketsunderneath said cutaters receiving the severed ends of the o s. p 13. Ina machine of the kind specified the combination with the feed chute of arotating member provided with shallow pockets receiving the ends of thepods, and a cutter at one end of each pocket and meeting with one wallof the feed chute to shear the ends of the pods, and pockets underneathsaid cutters receiving the severed ends of the pods, there bein openingsin the end walls of said'pockets t rough which the said ends 'of thepods are ejected.

14. In a machine of the kindspecified the combination with the feedchute, of a rotating member e nipped with alternate shallow and deep pocets respectively successively passing the delivery end of said chute, acutter at therear end portion of each shallow pocket and co-act-ing witha wall of said chute to sever the end portion of the pods, said deeppockets receiving the body ortions of the pods and transporting thesame, and means co-acting with one wall of each of said pockets to severthe other end'portions of said pods. v

15. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a rotating member equipped with alternate shallow and deeppockets respectively successively passing the delivery end of saidchute, a cutter at the rear end portion of each shallow pocket andco-acting with a wall of said chute tojsev'er the end ortion of thepods, there being recesses un erneath said cutters adapted to receivethe severed ends of the pods, said deep pockets receiving the bodyportions of the pods and transporting the same, and means co-acting withone wall of each of said deep ockets to sever the other end portions ofsaid pods. I

16. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a rotating member equippedwith alternate shallow and deeppockets respectively successively passing the delivery end ofsaid chute,a cutter at the rear end portion of each shallow pocket and co-actingwith a wall of said chute to sever the end portion of the pods, therebeing recesses underneath said cutters adapted to receive the severedends of the pods, there being openings in the end walls of said recessesfor ejection of the contents thereof, said deep pockets receiving thebody portions ofthe pods and transporting the same, and means co-actingwith one wallof each of said dee pockets to sever the other end portions0 said pods.

17. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a rotating cylinder equipped with alternate shallow and deeppockets respectively successively passing the delivery end of saidchute, a cutter at the rear end portion of each shallow pocket andco-act-ing with one wall of said chute to sever the end portion of thepods, said deep pockets receiving the body portion of the pods andtransporting them to the lower side of the cylinder, a stationary guardmounted adjacent and concentric with said cylinder allowing said pods toproject from said deep pockets a predetermined amount as they arecarried around the lower side of said cylinder, and means co-acting withone wall of each of said deep pockets to sever the other end portions ofsaid pods.

18. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a rotating cylinder equipped with alternate shallow and deeppockets respectively successively passing the delivery end of saidchute, a cutter at the rear end portion of each shallow pocket andco-acting with one wall of said chute to sever the end portion of thepods, there being recesses underneath said cutters adapted to receivethe severed ends of the pods, said deep pockets receiving the bodyportion of the pods and transporting them to the lower side of thecylinder, a stationary guard mounted adjacent and concentric with saidcylinder allowing said pods to project from said deep pockets apredetermined amount as they are carried around the lower side of saidcylinder, and means co-acting with one wall, of each of said deeppockets to sever the other end portions ofsaid pods.

19. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a ro tating cylinder equipped with alternate shallow and deeppockets respectively successively passlng the delivery. end of saidchute,

a cutter at the rear end portion of each shallow pocket and co-actingwith one wall of said chute to sever the end portion of the pods, therebeing recesses underneath said cutters adapted to receive the severedends of the pods, there being openings in the end walls of said recessesfor eject-ion of the contents thereof, said deep pockets receiving thebody portion of the pods and transporting them to the lower side of thecylinder, a stationary guard mounted adjacent and concentric with saidcylinder allowing said pods to project from said deep pockets apredetermined amount as they are carried around the lower side of saidcylinder, and means co-acting with one wall of each of said deep pocketsto sever the other end portions of, said pods.

20. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a traveling member equipped with alternate shallow and deeppockets respectively successively passing the delivery end of saidchute,

means regulating the descent of the pods down said chute, a cutter atthe rear end of each shallow pocket and co-acting with one wall of saidchute to sever the end portion of the pods, said deep pockets receivingthe body portion of the pods and transporting the same, and meansco-acting with one wall of each of said deep pockets to sever the otherend portions of said pods.

21. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute, of a traveling member equipped with alternate shallow and'deeppockets respectively successively passing the delivery end of saidchute, means regulating the descent of the pods down said chutecomprising two slides spaced one above the other and adapted to enter.said chute, connection between said slides and said traveling memberwhereby said lower slide is withdrawn and said upper slide issimultaneously entered into said chute at the time that said shallowpocket entersbeneath said chute, and said lower'slide is entered intoand said upper slide is Withdrawn at the time said deep pockets enterbeneath said chute, a cutter at the rear end'of each shallow pocket andco-acting with one wall of said chute to sever the end portion of thepods, said deep pockets receiving the body portion of the pods andtransporting the same, and means co-acting with one Wall of each of saiddeep pockets to sever the other end portions of said pods.

22. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute of a traveling member equipped with alternate shallow and deeppockets respectively successively passing the delivery end of saidchute, means for deliverin the pods to the receiving'vend of saidcfiute, comprising a feed belt, a hopper above said feed belt, avibrating grating in the lower end of said hopper, said grating providedwith oblong openings arranged longitudinally in relation to seed feedbelt, means co-acting with said traveling member regulating the flow ofpods down said chute, a cutter at the rear end. of each ofsaid shallowpockets and coacting with one wall of said chute to sever one portion ofthe pods, said deep pockets receiving the body portions of the ode, andmeans co-acting with one wall of each of said deep pockets to sever theother end portions of said pods.

23. In a machine of the kind specified the combination with the feedchute of a traveling member equipped with alternate shallow and deeppockets respectively successively passing the delivery end of saidchute, means for delivering the pods to the receiving end of said chute,comprising a feed belt, a hopper above said feed belt, means forregulating the delivery of pods to said chute by said feed belt comrising a vibratory grating in the lower en of said hopper, said gratingconsisting of longitu'l bars which just clear the surface of said hm.and of transverse bars which clear the surface of said belt by apredetermined amount, the openings formed by said bars being narrowtransversely and long longitudinally of said belt whereby the podsarrange themselves longitudinally of the carrier belt, and are therebydelivered endwise into the receiving end of said chute, means co-actingwith said traveling member regulating the flow of pods down said chute,a cutter at the rear end of each of said shallow pockets and co-actingwith one wall of said chute to sever one portion of the pods, said deeppockets receiving the body portions of the pods, and means co-actingwith one wall of each of said deep pockets to sever the other endportions of said pods.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

DEWEY O. THOMPSON,

Witnesses:

H. E. BAREIS, DENNIS HART.

